Merwinning or Losing
by modestlobster
Summary: Post TGC Merlin / Eggsy drabbles. CH1 (M): Merlin tried to ignore Galahad's call for the third time as it flashed across his lens. But the little [redacted] went through the emergency comms this time. So Merlin had to answer. CH2 (K ): From behind, as Eggsy approached, he could see the man's ears rise a fraction, the exact way that Merlin's did on the rare occasions that he smiled.
1. Compromise

Merlin tried to ignore Galahad's call for the third time as it flashed across his lens.

But the little ponce went through the emergency comms this time. So Merlin had to answer it.

This was yet another example of the little 'generational problem' they had between them. Eggsy was of the generation that wanted to resolve the problem _right now_ — right as it was happening — _drop everything_. Merlin's generation? You ignore the problem until at least one of you dies.

Merlin's last grudge held for two years. And it'd only had to be confronted again because Harry Hart came _back to life._ That ruddy bastard.

 _"Piss off,"_ Merlin growled to the audio-only connection, "I'm _busy_."

"S'alright, guv." Even when it couldn't be seen, Eggsy's bright and cheeky smile had this way of translating directly into a cheerful timbre in his voice. Obnoxious. That's what it was. "That's why I'm comin' to you, yeah?"

 _"Don't y' dare—"_ Merlin started to warn; as the doors to his workroom opened, he was out of his chair, rounding on Eggsy the moment the errant agent entered, _"—compromise this mission!"_

Merlin had the lad shoved up in an instant, pinned hard and bodily against the wall, with one hand grasped unapologetically around Eggsy's neck. Trying to literally circumvent Galahad's natural tendency towards vocal overexpression.

"Guv _—_ " Eggsy choked out; still trying to smirk, the arse. "I — don't — compromise."

"An' I don't _ha'e time for this."_ Merlin snarled, leaning in towards that bonny little grin, hissing his next words in his lad's ear:

"I don't ha'e time _for you."_

It wasn't nice.

 _And it wasn't true._

Strictly speaking.

But Merlin had his reasons.

"Doesn't _—_ hafta _—_ take _long._ " Eggsy cheeked, rolling his hips forward a fraction. The cold unrelenting metal of Merlin's teched-up prosthetics was already digging into Eggsy's legs, but now he could feel that other hard thing Merlin had concealed under his unassuming work trous.

Merlin's eyes narrowed. "Lives are at stake, _Galahad."_

Eggsy pursed his lips into a pout — and a genuine one; not mocking. Merlin eased the grip on his throat.

"Your life's at stake, too, you keep goin' on like this." Eggsy protested.

Merlin's eyes roamed over the look of insubordinate concern he was getting. He swallowed — "Missions come _first."_ — then pushed himself away, turning to get back to his screens — "An' y' _know_ tha'."

Merlin cleared his throat then, quickly getting back to the business at hand: _"Aye, Lancelot, I'm with y' — sending th' updated schematics now."_

" 'Course I know it, guv _…_ " Eggsy rubbed at the fading impressions on his neck, and raised his voice, "But I'm callin' dibs on 'second', yeah?"

He grinned.

Merlin couldn't ignore _that_ forever.


	2. Fitting

With Kingsman headquarters moving to the Statesman-owned distillery in Scotland, it seemed only fitting for the tailor shop to expand its line into traditional Scottish kilts and regalia - along with liquor sales, of course. Both additions proved popular options, especially the combination of actually doing your Scotch tasting during your fitting.

Eggsy grinned to see a few patrons taking advantage of just that, as he breezed in through the shop front late one afternoon, after an easy local fact-finding mission. But what stopped Eggsy short was not the glimpse of one man near the back, sporting a familiar bald and clean-shaven aesthetic (Eggsy had finally gotten past doing a double take at every single bloke in the UK who looked like that) — but rather it was the glint off the man's high-tech-looking metallic prosthetic legs, revealed by the kilt he had on.

 _"Merlin?"_ The name was out of Eggsy's mouth well before he even had a chance to think about being discreet. _(Kingsman's finest, bruv.)_

From behind, as Eggsy approached, he could see the man's ears rise a fraction, the exact way that Merlin's did on the rare occasions that he smiled. A pair of spectacles were pulled out of a breast pocket then and donned; the man clearing his throat as he turned to face Eggsy.

"So much for th' surprise, aye?" Merlin smiled, eyebrows knit in chagrin.

"But how—? How's this—? Guv, how're you even—?" Eggsy sputtered, shaking his head. He'd dreamt of something like this happening, but…

"Mm. Well, wha' if I tell y'bout it all t'night — tha' is, _after_ we scare th' livin' piss out of Harry." Merlin's grin had turned into something a wee bit wicked. "Or should I be callin' him 'Arthur', aye?"

"You can tell he's not used to it yet, guv." Eggsy smirked back, " 'Cause honestly, it's pretty obvious that he likes it when I call 'im that… So you know he's gonna absolutely _love_ hearin' it from you."


End file.
